ICJ hearing against Israel commences
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) held the first of a two-day hearing in South Africa’s genocide case against Israel over the war in Gaza.
South Africa began by presenting a case against Israel, urging an immediate halt to Israel’s military operations in Gaza. South Africa emphasized that over 23,000 Palestinians have lost their lives due to Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip since October 7th.
Ronald Lamola, South Africa’s justice minister, said “No armed attack on a state territory, no matter how serious, even an attack involving atrocity crimes, can provide justification for or defense to breaches to the [1948 Genocide] Convention whether it’s a matter of law or morality.”
Adila Hassim, an advocate representing South Africa’s case, outlined what she argued were a series of violations of the Genocide Convention, which Israel is a party to, and listed “genocidal acts” committed by Israel.
The “first genocidal act is mass killing of Palestinians in Gaza”, she said, and argued that the second genocidal act of serious bodily or mental harm inflicted on Palestinians in Gaza was in violation of Article 2B of the Genocide Convention.
In response to the hearing, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, “we are fighting terrorists, we are fighting lies. Today we saw an upside-down world. Israel is accused of genocide while it is fighting against genocide.”
He went on to say, “The hypocrisy of South Africa screams to the heavens. Where was South Africa when millions of people were killed or torn from their homes in Syria and Yemen, by whom? By partners of Hamas.”
The hearing will resume on Friday to hear Israel’s defense in the Hague.
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Header courtesy of the ICJ
